Timeless
by Idril Eledil
Summary: Set in a very different time and Forks. Bella, becoming more and more fearful of her fast approaching 16th, becomes lost in the woods, where she meets one of her town's darkest secrets.
1. Prologue

Quite short and vague. More will be explained soon. R&R.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or New Moon by any means. All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. This fanfiction plot alone is mine.

**Summary: **In a very different time, and a very different Forks. Bella, living in fear of her fast approaching 16th year, becomes lost in the woods on her way home. Only to come face to face with one of her town's most fiercely kept secrets. AU.

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**Prologue**

There was a time when I could say I loved him.

Yes, there was once a time, when the piercing, golden eyes of my eternal lover could melt me to my knees.

He was the first man I ever allowed myself to feel for, such a long time ago. I don't think I have ever truly stopped loving him, and I know that because of this I can never fully give myself to any other man. Perhaps it was rather selfish of him, to leave and take my heart away as well. But then again, there was no avoiding that to begin with. I gave it to him freely, of course.

Sometimes I still wonder if he shared the same love for me as I did for him. It never made any sense for him to. A plain, unworthy girl such as myself could never match up to someone as wonderful and faultless as him. But, there were times he made me wonder, times when he was so compassionate that I could almost believe he wanted me, too.

* * *

"_Bella, you are my life, you know. Don't ever doubt that." he whispered in my ear, as he had done so many times before. My heart pounded heavily in my chest at his words._

"_It's hard not to, sometimes. You're so damn fickle." I leaned my head lightly against his throat. If this was the only time we could have together, I going to make sure I got my fills worth. _

_I felt his husky chuckle, as he held my waist tighter. Gods will if there was anything I could do hear that sound more often. It was a rare thing to see him light-hearted and free. _

"_Yes, I do believe I can be. But, as I said, do not doubt me, love. I'll always do what's best for you. I love you too much not to."_

_My heart was doing circles by now. _

"_I love you, too"_

_He smiled and carefully kissed my forehead with his icy lips. _

"_And alone, that is all I need"_

* * *

Yes, there were times. But those times are gone, and are now replaced with the empty hole that burdens my chest, never to fade away.

"My Edward" is no longer mine…and a part of me knows that he never really was.

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Prologue finished and updated. R&R. Constructive critism greatly appreciated. 


	2. The First Sight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or New Moon, or any character in this story. The plot of this fanfiction alone is mine.

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**Chapter 1: A First Glance**

"Please watch where you're walking tonight Bella, dear. Your leg must be rather painful after today's…accident. I don't want to see any new bruises tomorrow."

"Yes, Madam Cope."

I was on my home from my daily courtesy lessons, from which not by surprise, I had managed to acquire more unnecessary injuries. Today's class consisted of "Tea Time Etiquette", or also known as "An Accident Waiting to Happen". Actually, I was doing rather well up until the actual pouring of tea, when half the contents of the pot managed to land upon my lap, rather then correctly entering the cup in front of me. Nobody seemed too surprised by this either. And of course, they shouldn't be. You see, I am by nature, an extremely accident prone person. It's reasonably hard for me to go through a day without gaining some new form of bodily damage from the simplest of tasks known to man. But it's quite alright; I have come to accept it over time.

I continued on my way home, without a worry in the world. In a place as small as this, even unmarried women are free to come and go as they please. No judicial law has ever been broken before in Forks, which makes the town as close to perfect as it gets. So everybody can feel secure here; in their idealistic safe-haven. Everybody but me, that is.

Ever since I was a child, I have felt unfamiliar to my town's overprotective lifestyle. With the founding of Forks, many rules and regulations were established, for the mere sake of safer environment; for the women in particular.

Being a woman in Forks can be both a benefit and a curse (more of the latter than the prior). From childhood, females are almost completely separated from males, in fear of becoming harmed by, what adults would call as, an adolescent boy's disruptiveness. Cuts and bruises are not seen as an attractive thing on a woman in Forks. And so, for that reason, they are kept in unblemished condition, until that of out sixteenth birthday. After which, they are finally allowed a short merging period to ensure that they are somewhat protected from the awkwardness of courtship, and eventually marriage.

I however, am not a fitting example of a "Forks Woman". I have never been graceful enough for etiquette and poise, and personally find it somewhat redundant. Though my teachers and instructors have worked endlessly to improve my ineptness, it has finally won out as a hopeless cause. Yet, with my sixteenth year fast approaching, my father has persisted that my coaches try to improve me in some shape or form. Because, as my father sees it, without improvement, no man will ever wish to marry his daughter; leaving her to rot as a burden and disappointment. And right now, I was nothing but a failure to him in every aspect.

_I've always been a failure…_

Refusing to wallow more in my own self-pity, I continued to walk down the dark forest path towards my house. The woods were thick with greenery in the early summer, which made walking rather difficult, especially at night. And since last week, during a particularly large storm, one of the larger trees on the trail had fallen to cover a good portion of the pathway. And I, not wanting to risk further injuries in the dark, decided to find a way around it. So opting for a different route, I strayed off the path and walked into the forest ferns.

It wasn't until about ten minutes later that I realized I was lost. I have never been very good with directions, so it wasn't quite as frightening as it could be. But it wasn't very often that I got lost in the woods at close to midnight. I kept walking however, eager to find some trace of life or civilization.

After about thirty minutes I started to get nervous. I was nowhere near home, in an isolated forest, and it was starting to rain. I began to run, tripping a few times in the process. I kept going straight wishing that I could find an opening to the town, or even just a visible horizon; right now anything would do. And after what seemed like forever, my wish came true…partially. I could see a clearing of trees in the distance, with the full moon right above.

_Just follow the moon's light Bella, you're almost there…_

I chanted to myself over and over. I would be able to make it home, see my father, go to sleep, in the ease of my room. In just a few short moments I would be on my way there. There was nothing stopping me, I just had to keep moving. I was at the edge of the clearing now. I could already see the grass of a meadow illuminated by the starlight.

_Keep moving. Keep movin– _

I stopped. There was someone there…or something.

Taking shelter behind one of the trees in the clearing, I turned my eyes to see just who the mysterious figure was. At the current time, they were too far away; however, they were approaching quickly. It seemed nearly inhuman at the pace they were walking, like they were almost floating upon the longs reeds of the meadow grass. I was starting to find myself alarmingly captivated at how something could move with such grace and elegance. I yearned more and more to see this peculiar creature's face, but with its head cast away, glaring off somewhere into the night, I was not rewarded. I kept staring, waiting, hoping for them to turn their head; to give me a mere peek.

They were only a few fifteen feet away by now, and I could tell by now that it was a male. And from my point of view, there was _no_ possibility that he was human.

In that moment, the creature chose to turn his head, his eyes still facing off into the distance, and I was given this single moment to glance at the form's previously hidden face. And when I did, my mind lost all sane thought completely.

It was hard to adjust to him at first. His ivory skin, dark eyes, and coppery hair, all shined celestially in the full moon, nearly blinding me, and if you looked close enough you could see that his skin tone was almost transparent. It was a sheer white, that was obviously too pale for a normal human body. Also, there were dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn't slept in weeks. However, after adjusting to the paleness you could see the exquisiteness of his face. Especially his eyes, as the golden orbs danced in fascination as to whatever he was thinking.

He was so astoundingly beautiful that I couldn't look away. I couldn't even blink, in fear that he would disappear into the endless night. And I knew that possibility alone would most likely kill me. So I kept staring, allowing my mind to memorize every pattern of his features. My eyes ran from his golden-brown hair to his hands, taking in every detail. I don't know how long I stayed there. Time wasn't even an issue anymore.

_Just let me stay a little longer…_

Then, the wind chose this most inconvenient moment to blow.

The ribbon tying back my brunette hair suddenly broke free, to be carried away with the unexpected gust. And, just to my misfortune, the breeze happened to be sending my ribbon in the direction of a certain mysterious man. Who, up until this time, hadn't had any idea of my current whereabouts.

Then, three things happened at once.

Firstly, my ribbon managed to entangle itself around the stranger's pale wrist. In the second moment, I saw his golden eyes darken into a fiery black, a sinister color that by all means only meant danger. And third, the last thing I remember before I blanked out, was an iron clad grip on my arm, and cold…yet somewhat godly voice whispering in my ear.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

* * *

I can't recall any other moment in my life when I have felt as scared as did in that moment. But the strangest part of it was that the adrenaline was fueling something other than fright inside of me. I was so entranced by everything that this man was…if he was a man that is.

He was so different from everything that I was so accustomed to seeing. Something raw and new. But then again, perhaps I am insane. A normal person would be screaming in terror, fighting for their life, or in the least shaking.

Yet I, being the odd person that I am, could only stand there in shock. Of course I was scared for my life, I am not that unusual. But, it didn't really seem to matter too much to me in that instance. He could take my life for all I cared. As long as he was the last sight I would see, it would be worth it.

_I'm going to die now…I know it_

Shaking the pessimistic thoughts from my head, I tried to focus in on what the creature was whispering in my ear.

"Oh Dear, someone seems to have wondered a bit too far from home. It's a little past you bedtime don't you think, little girl?"

I could almost feel his eerie grin by my shoulder, sending shock electricity running through me…and it wasn't a completely unwelcome feeling. However, when his mouth started to inch closer to my throat, I become more aware that I had no idea of what exactly this creature was.

"Didn't somebody warn you of what lurks in the shadows, child? Even you should know better than to wonder around past midnight."

"I…I-got lost. Please, let me go! My father is waiting for me!"

I don't know how I ever allowed the words to form in my mouth, and I could feel him tense as soon as they were spoken. His fingers dug into my wrist until I could feel the blood slowly run down to my fingers.

"Ah! Stop-please, it hurts!" I cried as he increased his grip. I was used to pain, but never had it been intended before.

"Learn to think before you open your mouth human. You don't know what your dealing with here," his soft voice increased to a harsh growl as he continued, "But, of course, your about to find out."

My eyes widened in horror as he brought his fingers, covered in my blood, up to his lips. He opened his mouth and slowly tasted the liquid, with a rather perverse look of satisfaction. He continued until he had removed all traces of from his hands.

_A vampire…_

"Absolutely delicious, I must say. This certainly will be a meal to savior indeed." His voice was threaded with a malicious intent, as he traced his tongue slowly along the lining of my throat, and as I felt his teeth slowly graze the flesh covering my veins, I knew the end was coming soon.

_I'm going to die! Oh my god, I'm going to di-_

But the end never came.

The vampire's face had snapped to the left, as something rustled in the leaves of a nearby bush. He growled, and released his present hold on my arms. Turning his eyes back to me, he locked his gaze with my own. I stared, enthralled, as the golden orbs danced in aggravation and rage.

"You will see me again, girl. Soon at that."

And with that, he was gone; as though he was never even there in the first place. The only remaining evidence of presence, were the claw marks lingering on my wrists, with blood still falling freely.

I must have waited hours before I even had the ability to move, and when I did, the only fraction of movement was my sudden collapse to the ground.

Perhaps it was a loss of blood, or the after-shock of a near-death experience; but whatever was causing my loss of all-physical activity, was not helping matters in the slightest.

_I need to get inside…_

My mind began to kick into overdrive, with a second rush of adrenaline. I cried out in frustration as willed for my broken nerves to work. Fighting for a twitch, a jolt, a spasm, anything!

However, after many hundreds of failed attempts, I gave up.

I sat back and did the only sane thing left…wait.

_The vampire did say he was coming back…_

_Luck is not of my side, Today._

"Bella!"

I heard a shout in the distance. The voice seemed familiar, somewhat like my father's. But by now, I was too tired to react to anything at all, so all I could do was stay still and let whoever it was find me by themselves.

"BELLA!"

The voice was closer and clearer by now, only a few 10 paces away, and it was when the cooling hand of my father touched my face, that I finally allowed myself to relax completely.

"It's okay, Bella. You're safe now."

_But he's coming back…_

And with that…everything went black.

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Chapter one finally finished and reviewed. Chapter 2 is coming soon. R&R. 


	3. The Dream Sequence

New chapter up! I finally have a bit of time on my hands with the break. I'm really going to try to keep this one going. Well I hope you like it. R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters of this story. They are all property of Stephanie Meyer. The plot of this fanfiction alone is mine.

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**Chapter 2**

_**Where am I?**_

_I walked slowly through a sunlit, forest pathway. And although I had no exact idea of where I was, there was something incredibly familiar about everything around me…_

**_I think I've been here before…_**

_I continued onwards down the path, as it twisted through thick woodland to a clearance in the skyline. And as I came to stop at the entrance to the defrayal of trees, I took a deep breath and stepped forward. _

**_It's like heaven…_**

_Never in my life had I ever seen anything so beautiful. There was a meadow, basking in the promising flowers of early summer. And as the grass blew softly in the breeze, the sun reflected over all of the surroundings, casting a golden glow upon the field. _

_I walked through the meadow and sat down upon the soft grass, listening to the soothing sounds of a stream flowing in the distance. As I had thought earlier, something was so strangely recognizable about this place, and a part of me knew that I must have been here before. _

_**But, what am I doing here in the first place?**_

_Yes, what was I doing here? It felt as though I were waiting for something. Something to pull me out of my heavenly state, and make my purpose here acknowledged._

"_Bella!"_

_My head twisted around sharply in surprise. Who was calling my name? Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that I had heard that voice before, whoever it was. Still looking, I turned my head in every direction, trying to find where the shout was coming from, and as I rolled my neck to look behind me, I saw a figure running forward at what I would consider, lightening speed. _

"_Bella, what have I told you about coming here alone?! It's not safe, you need to leave, now hurry!"_

_I rear back in shock. The stranger was the vampire from the night before. But what was he doing here? How did he know my name? _

_**And, why do I not feel scared?**_

_I was on my feet by now, and had backed a good 10 feet away from where he was standing. I could feel my heart beat increasing rapidly, and to my astonishment, it was out of anticipation, not fright. _

_The look of concern and affection of the vampire's face made my stomach curl around in guilt. Obviously he was not out here to harm me, that much I could tell. But I still didn't know who he was, or why he seemed to be on such similar terms with me. _

_He walked over to me before I could even turn to run, and gently but firmly held my upper arms in his pale hands. I could see the yellow spheres of his eyes coil in sudden apprehension._

"_Bella, what are you doing? It's me, Edward! Come on, we have to go! Do you know what will happen if anyone finds you here!"_

**_Edward…_**

_Something struck a bolt a electricity through me at the mention of his name. I knew that name, and I knew this stunningly beautiful person standing in front of me. However, with the memory of his name, a whole new wave of emotions blossomed inside of me. _

"_Edward"_

_I tested his name to see how the sound would feel coming from my lips. I could sense the tears begin to prickle behind my eyes, and I touched the side of his face softly just to be sure that he was really there. And, as a part of me had expected, his skin felt cold and smooth._

_**It's almost like touching a statue…** _

"_My Edward"_

_I saw the vampire's features soften at the endearment, and he placed his cold hand delicately over mine. After a short moment, he pulled me towards his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. I could feel the strength of his body holding me, and I knew that there was no possible chance of breaking free. And, personally, I couldn't entirely say that I ever wanted to. _

"_Yes, Bella it's me. Don't worry everything will be okay."

* * *

_

_**FLASH**_

"_Why are you doing this to me?!"_

_The surroundings around me had changed. Now, I was pushed against the base of a tree, in a rather vaporous area of the woods. _

_But not only had the scenery changed, for I could feel the hot tears falling freely down my face. _

_I looked up to see Edward staring at me with a pained look, and I knew that the outlook of our current situation was not going to be pleasant. _

"_Edward, please don't go."_

_**Why am I saying these things?**_

_My Edward said nothing as he stared down at me with his amber eyes burning. He leaned his head forward to rest against mine. He ran his icy hand through my hair, in some small attempt to sooth me; but the touch was doing nothing to protect me from the hell-like hole growing rapidly in my chest. _

"_Bella, please not now. We don't have time."_

_There was a small burst of anger inside of me at that. _

_**How dare he!**_

_My tears were coming out in hysterics now… _

"_Just tell me why! Don't I deserve that much?"_

_He frowned at my statement and closed his eyes in frustration. He was as disturbed as I was at our circumstances, I could tell. And inside I knew that there was nothing that either one of us could do to stay together. _

"_Because you deserve more than me, Bella. I can't give you what you need and living a constant life of fear is not going to make you happy."_

_He hadn't wanted to say it, and to hell if I wanted to here it. It made no sense what so ever. _

**_Is he absolutely stupid?_**

"_Of course it will! Being with **you** is all I need to make me happy. I love you, isn't that enough?"_

_I let out another choked sob, and bent my head down in shame. Why was he leaving me? I had only just found him again…_

_Edward closed his eyes and buried his face into my neck, whispering over and over how sorry that he was, that I would move on, be happy, and meet someone new...but it didn't mean anything. If he was leaving, there was nothing he could say that would make me feel better. _

_He titled my chin upwards to meet his face, and slowly ran a finger down the side of my cheek. _

"_Goodbye Isabella, I love you."_

_He placed a final chaste kiss to my lips, holding on only for a few short seconds before pulling away completely. He looked over my face one last time, before fading away into the darkness. _

**_It's all over now, there's nothing left for me…_**

_I sunk to my knees in silent defeat, and let the darkness take me over completely. The growing hole inside of me ripped my heart in two, without resistance. I was too far gone to fight it, so I closed my eyes and let my tears fall freely. _

**_He's gone…my Edward is gone…_**

* * *

****

I woke up with a start.

_Another one…_

The vampire had become a nightly visitor to every one of my dreams, and it was the same story every time. He would find me in the field, hold me, and finally leave me crying alone in the shadows. And why was it that the character in my head was always so different from the one who had tried to kill me before?

_I must be going crazy…_

I must be. I was turning my attempted murderer into the lover of my dreams. It was a pure transgression to be fantasizing over such things.

_But who can help what they dream?_

_I most certainly can't…_

It had been 5 days since I had last seen the vampire, or Edward, as my imagination so gladly called him. And when I was awake, I was living in constant fear of just when exactly he was going to uphold his promise of coming back for me. However, at night, when I finally had the courage and patience to settle into some form of sleep, did the new side of my vampire arise.

I wanted so much to believe that he was truly like my imagination made him out to be, but as the logical side of me always knew, it was just a lost cause that could only cause me more pain in the end.

But one thing that I was certain of, was that the vampire was going to come back, and when he did, he was going to kill me. I had to accept that reality.

_But a part of me is falling in love with him…_

Yes, and as much as I tried to fight myself and deny my subconscious, there was a part of me, and rather large part at that, that was falling unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

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This one took me a few hours. I didn't really get much time to spell check, so if you see any mistakes please let me know. Thanks. 


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